I have been experiencing photo spots on some of my recent photos that may very well be normal. They are taken in bright lighting, some even in direct sun. For example, this is a sunset photo where you can see a spot I am referring to. My question, is this normal and something that a filter would fix? Doesn't occur in different light situations, so guessing it is simply some sort of lens reflection. It's a small spot in the middle of the photo almost hidden in the waves.

Thanks in advance.

07-12-2018, 11:43 AM

SpookDroid

Re: Photo Spots

If it were lens flare the spot would move as the bright light source moves from the frame as well. Does it do that or is the 'spot' always in the same place? It could also be dust or a scratch that doesn't show up as much in lower-light scenes. Have you tried taking a picture of an all-white and/or solid-color shot to see if the spot is there all the time? What about changing resolutions, does it move to another position?

07-12-2018, 02:28 PM

Nauga

Re: Photo Spots

Just to play safe, here's a link to a few color bars to check for faulty subpixels on your display:

Checked my display, no faulty pixels. I guess I'm leaning towards lens flare, as the below photo is taken moments after but not having directly into the sun. All photos are being taken in full hdr.

The spot will move based on the picture, making me fear there might be something wrong. Doesn't seem to be anything on it in the lens area, as this only occurs when facing really bright sun.

I'm just not sure how to avoid that, as the last few phones didn't do this.

07-12-2018, 03:19 PM

Rukbat

Re: Photo Spots

Try one in full HDR, then another one exactly the same, but no HDR. (Then another one with HDR, just to make sure.) If it shows only in HDR, it's probably the HDR processor (you're aware that the phone has an almost separate CPU to do the HDR processing?)

If that's the problem, it means a replacement phone, or learning to live with it. (I've seen similar spots when shooting into the sun, but I've never blown them up large enough to tell if they were artifacts, flare or processing defects. And at normal size they seem to be almost invisible. Yours is the largest one I've seen. Even blowing it up so that I can see fairly large pixels, I can't decide what the cause is from just the one shot. But the spot is pretty square, covering about 9 pixels.)

07-12-2018, 03:45 PM

gebco

Re: Photo Spots

I wonder if it is hot pixels. . .

07-12-2018, 06:24 PM

Jaingo5150

Re: Photo Spots

I'll try your suggestions and repost my findings. I did not know the hdr was processed separately.

07-16-2018, 01:16 AM

PaulQ

Re: Photo Spots

I am having trouble seeing the spot. I'm not sure I am looking at the right thing. I had a spot issue but I don't know if it's the same. It also occurred when I was shooting at the beach at sunset. My husband's iPhone X actually started doing it first... and I didn't even have a chance to give my usual "Silly iPhone" line before my photos started showing the same anomaly!

It's light reflecting inside the camera. Here's a link with an explanation. It says iPhone - because it happened to his iPhone first and that's what I looked up - I assume it's the same issue on the Pixel:

The dot shown in the sample at that site is MUCH brighter and solid than the ones I got though.

08-17-2018, 03:47 PM

byrdbry

Re: Photo Spots

Originally Posted by Jaingo5150

I have been experiencing photo spots on some of my recent photos that may very well be normal. They are taken in bright lighting, some even in direct sun. For example, this is a sunset photo where you can see a spot I am referring to. My question, is this normal and something that a filter would fix? Doesn't occur in different light situations, so guessing it is simply some sort of lens reflection. It's a small spot in the middle of the photo almost hidden in the waves.

Thanks in advance.

I just started having the same spot. In every picture, where I am trying to copy old pictures pre-digital age. The light is moderate, the focus somewhat close, like 8-12 inches. The spot is in the view, with the revolving circle, as if it is an option that my phone has decided to turn on (and off, at will), like it does with just about anything; it's POSsessed. I thought it might be a focusing feature, but it shows up in all the photo images as it did for the thread originator. Brand new Pixel 2 XL, have taken very few photos so far. I'd appreciate any insights.

08-17-2018, 05:51 PM

byrdbry

Re: Photo Spots

I shot them again, without the Plexiglas I was using to hold down the edges of the old photos, and the spot went away—almost. I thought the reflection off the -glas might have caused it (as it might have on the waves) but it still shows up in some instances, especially in close-ups. Could it be the equivalent of what we used to call parallax in the old long-lens cameras?